Students obtain injunction restraining University of Malawi on Chanco’s re-admission

Chancellor College (Chanco) students have obtained a court injunction restraining University of Malawi (Unina) through Chanco in Zomba from re-admitting the students to the college by forcing them to contribute money towards repairs of the property damaged during their protest that happened at the institution in July leading to shut down.

Ayuba: Obtain court injuction

The college is asking every student to pay K1500 before readmission as the money will go towards repair works.

The readmission form requires students to agree to abide by the rules and regulation relating to conduct and behaviour as approved by Unima and the country’s criminal laws.

The students are also being asked to agree in the forms that they would be held liable for prosecution if found in contravention of the law.

Failure to sign the forms by Friday would have been construed that students were not interested to re-register and the college would not readmit them.

Students union leader Sylvester Ayuba James, a law student, advises the leaders not to tie themselves with what is contained in the form, saying the High Court granted hem an injunction stopping the college administration from implementing the readmission of the students.

Ayuba said in a letter to all students: “This means that no one should submit any form, pay any money or write any report whatsoever.”

But the students have been urged to report to classes on Monday.

“We are now free from the conditions which the college administration imposed on us,” Ayuba said.

Chanco was prematurely closed in July following riots after armed police officers invaded the campus apparently to quell protests over the fees hike that had just been announced.

Students protested the increase in their financial contribution from K55 000/K275 000 to a minimum of K400 000 and wanted it lowered to K320 000.

President Peter Mutharika reacted to the fees hike impasse with an order for a K50 000 reduction in fees in public universities and directing the reopening of the college.

The students dismissed suggestions that they had caused the property damage; instead they laid the blame for the damage on police officers who were accused of having used excessive force at the campus.